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How They Grow in Eighth Grade

Growth Patterns

How does your 13-year-old grow? With one-word answers and rude behavior? Or are collections of music, jewelry, and make-up taking over her room? Click below to find out about:

Physical

  • Kids this age have high physical energy.

  • Skin problems are emerging; hygiene is a key issue.

  • Girls: Reach 95 percent of mature height; menstruation has begun for most.

  • Boys: Voice change for many; growth spurt about a year behind girls.

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Social

  • Neatness is a key issue with personal appearance, but not with personal environment.

  • The mirror is their best friend and worst enemy.

  • Kids this age are often quieter than 12- or 14-year-olds.

  • They like to be left alone at home.

  • Their feelings are easily hurt and they can easily hurt other's feelings.

  • Kids this age are often mean when they're scared.

  • Close friendships are often more important to girls.

  • Boys hang out in groups.

  • Girls are more interested in older boys.

  • Both genders have a strong interest in sports.

  • Telephone, computer, video games, and other electronic diversions are a major time factor.

  • Music is becoming a major preoccupation.

  • Peer pressure increases regarding dress, language, music, in-out, being cool.

  • Kids this age worry about school work.

  • Their humor is highlighted by increasing sarcasm.

  • Horseplay and practical jokes are still popular with boys.

  • Girls enjoy collecting things (jewelry, make-up, tapes).

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Language

  • Kids this age give one word answers to questions.

  • Street language/peer language is important.

  • Their language can be extreme and voices can be loud.

  • Kids this age are often rude.

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Cognitive

  • An eighth-grader's withdrawn and sensitive nature protects her developing self-concept and intellectual ideas that are not yet fully formed.

  • Abstract reasoning and "formal operations" begin to come into play in some 13-year-olds.

  • Kids this age take a tentative approach to difficult intellectual tasks; they're not willing to take big learning risks.

  • They like to challenge intellectual, as well as social, authority.

From Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 by Chip Wood, © 1997 by Northeast Foundation for Children (800) 360-6332. All rights reserved as permitted under the US copyright Act of 1976. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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